Living cell therapy (N/A)

Living cell therapy represents a therapeutic modality where viable cells are administered to patients to prevent, treat, or cure diseases (FDA, 2023). Unlike traditional pharmacotherapy, these therapies do not rely on a single molecular target but instead exert effects through complex mechanisms such as paracrine signaling—the secretion of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors—and direct cell-to-cell contact (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2021). This multifaceted approach allows the cells to sense and respond to the host environment, making them particularly effective for immunomodulation and tissue regeneration (PubMed, PMC3513803). Common examples include mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells, which are used in treating conditions ranging from graft-versus-host disease to hematologic malignancies. Because the therapeutic activity is systemic and multifactorial, traditional target-based drug design parameters are often not applicable. Safety monitoring focuses on unique risks such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and potential tumorigenicity (StatPearls, 2023).

Other names

Cell-based therapyLiving drugParacrine-mediated therapyCell-contact mediated therapyAdoptive cell transfer

Therapeutic effects are achieved through the secretion of bioactive molecules such as cytokines and growth factors (paracrine signaling) and direct physical interaction with host cells (cell-contact mediated effects) rather than binding to a single discrete molecular target.